Restaurants in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires has a gastronomic scene that never stops growing and surprising. With thousands of restaurants spread across its 48 neighbourhoods, the city offers everything from classic neighbourhood grills to internationally acclaimed avant-garde restaurants, alongside cuisines from across the globe that reflect the cultural diversity of a city built by immigrants.

Parrillas are the heart and soul of porteño gastronomy. Don Julio, in Palermo, is considered by many to be the finest grill in Buenos Aires and features among the best restaurants in Latin America. La Cabrera, also in Palermo, is famous for its generous portions and creative side dishes. For a more traditional, unpretentious experience, El Pobre Luis in Belgrano or La Brigada in San Telmo are classics that never disappoint.

Italian cuisine is so deeply embedded in Buenos Aires that it could almost be considered local cooking. Artisan pasta restaurants proliferate in every neighbourhood and the average standard is astonishingly high. Nápoles in San Telmo, Sottovoce in Belgrano and Piegari in Retiro are essential references for lovers of quality pasta and pizza.

Porteño signature cuisine has reached levels of excellence recognised worldwide. Tegui, by Germán Martitegui in Villa Crespo, is perhaps Argentina’s most awarded restaurant and an exceptionally high-level gastronomic experience. Gran Dabbang, by Mariano Ramón in Palermo, brilliantly fuses Asian influences with local produce. Elena, at the Four Seasons, is the city’s quintessential luxury dining option.

Buenos Aires’ ethnic diversity is reflected in its international restaurant offering. The Belgrano Chinatown has authentic restaurants specialising in Cantonese and other regional Chinese cuisines. The Japanese community of Once and Palermo sustains a first-rate sushi and Japanese dining scene. Armenian, Lebanese and Syrian restaurants in Once and Villa Crespo preserve Middle Eastern culinary traditions that have been part of the city for decades.

For vegetarian and vegan food lovers, Buenos Aires has evolved considerably. Restaurants such as Bio Natural in Palermo, Sacro in San Telmo and Artemisia in Caballito demonstrate that plant-based cooking can be as exciting and delicious as any other. Organic producers’ markets and food fairs also offer excellent fresh, seasonal options.

The offering of Peruvian, Colombian and other Latin American cuisines is also very rich in Buenos Aires, reflecting the new waves of migration to the city over recent decades. Cevicherías, Peruvian huariques and Latin fusion restaurants are a rising trend well worth exploring.

One must not forget the bodegones — that distinctly porteño category of restaurant blending home-style cooking with the atmosphere of a neighbourhood bar. Without pretension but full of soul, the bodegones of San Telmo, Almagro and Boedo are the best way to eat well, cheaply and in the company of authentic porteños.

Buenos Aires has a table for every palate. You just need the curiosity to explore.